Dropping a Kite!
by punkish furball
Summary: After traveling through time, battling demons, and purifying ancient objects of power, starting employment at an institution like Nanba Prison seemed to be the next logical option for Kagome to take. ...If only she could convince her guardian to believe that. (NOTE: Rating may be prone to change)


**_Disclaimer for this story:_** _Nanbaka is property of Shō Futamata and InuYasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author, punkish furball. The author, punkish furball, is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. The author, punkish furball, makes no profit from this fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended._

punkish furball – New story time! XD

 **Words to Ponder:**

So I watched all of Nanbaka in one day and loved every minute! And, with nearly every anime I enjoy, I wanted to cross it over with InuYasha and had a few ideas floating around in my head about it. Let me know if you like it! X3

 **Chapter 1**

"I wish you would reconsider your options. Nanba Prison is not an ideal choice for someone just entering the workforce."

Kenshirou Yozakura lost count of how many times he repeated those statements within the course of this short conversation, but the young woman seated in front of him was particularly stubborn. He knew no matter how many valid arguments he had, there was no getting through to her on this. However, he still had to try for her sake.

"So what?" she replied with an undignified huff, "You said yourself that Nanba Prison only employs the best of the best. Are you saying I'm underqualified to work with you?"

Kenshirou grimaced at the petite, sapphire-eyed raven grinning at him across the table as she took a sip of her tea. She appeared to be the perfect picture of playfulness and innocence, but Kenshirou knew her far better than that. Just beneath the surface, Kagome Higurashi's temper was poised to boil over, and he was the only target in sight.

"I'm looking out for your wellbeing, not doubting your abilities," he insisted, "I'm merely suggesting you apply somewhere less demanding."

Kagome snorted as she set down her cup. "And _I'm_ suggesting that you stop patronizing me! I can take care of myself no matter how demanding the job may get. Besides, I'm telling you all this because I already accepted the offer. I'll look like a complete flake if I back out now, and, since I used your name as a reference on my application, you won't look good either."

Kenshirou hid his frustration well save for the slight narrowing of his carmine-colored eyes. He should have expected this. From the moment he first met the tiny _miko_ who was now his ward and sole responsibility, Kagome had the uncanny ability to break through his stoic façade and get a rise out of him with even the smallest interactions. She was never one to mince words and always spoke out against any injustice—actual or otherwise. That alone made his duties as her guardian much more difficult than they needed to be.

Kenshirou released a small sigh as he sipped his tea, hiding a fond smile with his cup. For all the trouble Kagome caused him, he would never forsake his bond with the _miko_. Ensuring Kagome's protection and happiness was his obligation, one bequeathed to him by his ancestors who had long since passed. The pure _inu_ blood that defined his demonic heritage had become significantly diluted throughout the centuries, but Kenshirou always stood tall, carrying himself and the blood within his veins with pride. He was one of the only living descendants of the great dog general that ruled over western Japan, and, as such, he inherited guardianship of the Shikon no Miko, an ordinary girl plucked from the pages of an extraordinary adventure.

When the _miko_ appeared at the base of the well on the Higurashi Shrine's grounds just as foretold in the relics of his ancestors, Kenshirou appeared before her and her family to explain himself and take up the mantle of her protector. The only true resistance to the arrangement came from Kagome. She eluded his presence at every turn, refusing to let him get close to her and behaving, in both his and her mother's opinion, like an outright brat.

It wasn't until Kagome finally acknowledged how her obstinate behavior affected those around her particularly her kind mother who silent suffered as Kagome repeatedly insisted she could recover from her past trials on her own that she finally allowed Kenshirou to perform his duty to her.

From then on, Kenshirou helped her enroll in high school then college and moved away from the shrine into his apartment. It was agreed that, while her family was immensely supportive, staying close to the well was not good for Kagome's health. Once she progressed mentally and physically, she and Kenshirou made regular trips back to the shrine when time permitted. Although he remained close to her during the first months of her transition to this new life, Kenshirou was rarely home due to work which left the household chores to Kagome. She didn't mind and readily took up the cleaning and cooking. She even packed lunch for Kenshirou and treats for his canine coworkers.

After all this time, Kenshirou could freely admit it was more than his familial obligation that kept him by Kagome's side. Kenshirou cherished Kagome and she him. Unfortunately, that did absolutely nothing to make her more agreeable.

"Nothing I say will dissuade you, correct?" he asked although he already knew the answer.

Kagome grinned and nodded vigorously. "Now you're getting it! I honestly thought you'd be happy about me working with you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you don't want to be bothered with me anymore."

"That is an insult, _miko_. I take my responsibility to you very seriously. Never doubt that even in jest."

"In that case, you should be more willing to let me have my way!" Kagome quipped with a silent snicker. Like someone else she knew, Kenshirou had the habit of calling her ' _miko_ ' when she upset him.

"Absolutely not. Spoiling you like that would only make you even more insufferable that you are now," he told her. She huffed, childishly inflating her cheeks to several times their normal size.

"Well, excuse me."

"You are excused. But, if you keep making faces like that, you'll never find someone to marry you."

"Real funny," Kagome remarked and looked away from Kenshirou to pout. She turned back when she felt him place his hand on his head. He was smiling at her encouragingly with a single fang prominently peeking over the left side of his lip.

"If this is truly what you want, then I will support you," he said, "However, it will not be an easy career path to follow especially at Nanba Prison. Although, I will be close to you, you need to be careful. You can't afford to let your guard down."

Although he was worried, Kenshirou was confident Kagome would excel at Nanba given the proper guidance. He was only thankful she applied at the male division of the prison and not the female division under Warden Shin Sauzando. Personal grievances aside, he would never allow Kagome to work for _that_ man no matter what hit his reputation might take.

 _With any luck, I might be able to convince the Warden to place Kagome in my building. It'll be easier to keep an eye on her that way_ , he thought.

"Don't worry so much!" Kagome insisted, "I have a good idea of what I'm getting into. And like you said, you won't be far. I'll be fine as long as you're watching out for me."

Kenshirou snorted a laugh and shifted his hand to cup Kagome's cheek. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Who knows?" Kagome continued, "Maybe I can help you with that special lady who's caught your eye, Ken-chan? Her name's Momoko, right?"

Kenshirou blushed and yanked his hand away. "I don't require any assistance on that matter from you! If I need your help, I'll ask for it."

Kagome giggled and returned her attention to the meal she prepared for herself and Kenshirou. Honestly, whether Kenshirou supported her decision or not was irrelevant to her acceptance of the offer, but she was glad he did. He was the reason she became interested in working at Nanba in the first place. It was fortunate for her that the bulk of the application process for Nanba Prison took place away from the institution itself, so Kenshirou wasn't aware of her actions until she wanted him to be. Her first time setting foot on Nanba's campus would be two weeks from today.

The application process for employment at Nanba Prison was as strenuous as it was time-consuming, but Kagome powered through it. She may have had Kenshirou's connections to thank for her being able to start the process—it would have been nearly impossible for her to apply on her own—but her merit and hard work got her the referral and ultimately the job. Kenshirou helped her move on, but it was time for her to do something on her own.

After the Shikon Jewel was completed and she returned to her rightful era, it took her much longer than she wanted to admit for her to finally face the reality there was no going back to her friends on the other side. The fact that they had won and destroyed both Naraku and the Shikon no Tama was not enough. She would never see Miroku and Sango get married and commit their lives to each other; never see Shippo and continue to develop and grow into the strong, honest young man and woman she knew they could be; never realize what would became of her silent yet stable kinship with Sesshomaru and his reluctant retainer; and never be with InuYasha the way she always dreamed of. It didn't take long for Kagome and her family to realize her readjustment to a normal life was not going well at all. She continually struggled no matter how hard she tried to interact with her peers or focus on her schoolwork. Every attempt led to disastrous results. Even so, she still tried to go it alone, foolishly believing that she didn't need anything or anyone else to help her get back on her feet again.

Then Kenshirou Yozakura appeared on her doorstep, claiming to be partially _inu_ , and brought back all of the heartache she thought she pushed away. She didn't want to consider that InuYasha or even Sesshomaru had not survived after five centuries. That everyone else she knew and loved no longer existed, and there was no way for her to see them again.

Before Kenshirou could fully explain himself and his intrusion into her life, Kagome pushed him away and continued to do so whenever he came before her again and again. Every time she rejected him, he simply bid her a polite goodbye and told her he would return again.

 _It's a good thing Ken-chan is so dedicated. Anyone else might have given up on me._

Had it not been for Kenshirou, Kagome would still stubbornly believe she put everything behind her for good. That the past was the past, and there was no changing that except to continue the way she was even though there was no improvement. It took longer than it should have for her to finally accept that she needed Kenshirou, but it was what she needed to move on. He was offering her something more than his protection, something she didn't receive once the jewel was completed and she spent less and less time in the past. He offered her a future.

 _But it's time for me to do some work on my own. Besides, it's not like I applied to be a guard anyway._

Kagome spared a glance at Kenshirou with a slight smirk on her face. She certainly loved seeing him squirm.

 _I think I'll let him in on that detail a little later!_

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – That's a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed, and more updates are to come. Also, for those who are interested, I set up a Tumblr account, punballchan, where I plan to post excerpts from upcoming and ongoing fanfics I'm working on and maybe open up requests for scenarios and head cannons. Just something to keep the creative juices flowing!

( **edited 7.02.2018** )


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